Several Los Angeles City Council members are pushing for a new law that would make it illegal for homeless people to set up camps near freeway overpasses and the city’s new temporary “bridge” shelters.
A motion to be considered by the council Tuesday asks City Atty. Mike Feuer to draft a new ordinance that would allow the removal of tents and other makeshift shelters close to the nearly two dozen shelters that have opened in the past two years under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s A Bridge Home program, as well as other facilities planned around the city in response to a lawsuit currently being heard in federal court.
Feuer issued a statement Friday saying he supports the motion, co-authored by council members Joe Buscaino, Bob Blumenfield, Monica Rodriguez and Paul Krekorian and seconded by three others.
“My office has been working with council member Blumenfield on this approach, which I’ve long supported,” the statement from Feuer said. “I support this rule for two reasons: It may reduce the temptation of any shelter resident to fall back into life on the street, and may help encourage neighborhoods to more readily accept desperately needed homeless housing and services in their communities.”
Read the full story at LATimes.com.